Sylvia
by Rachel Hunt
Summary: A girl, beat up looking but beautiful, suddenly appears in the Great Hall during dinner. And Snape knows her. ***CHAPTER 6: DEATH AND TORTURE BY SNAPE****
1. The Appearence

Disclaimer: It's a fanfic **__**

Disclaimer: It's a fanfic. I don't own anything. Except the plot, any amusing phrases of my own invention, and the few new characters I introduce, of course. Don't even bother suing me, all I own is this computer, which isn't even that great after all the crap I've done to it. It seems even in disclaimers I babble……

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Thoughts from the Author: Oh god, I can't believe I've been reduced to this… writing harry potter fanfics. This is just degrading. For years I swore I wouldn't even read the fool books, and now I'm writing a fanfic of it. Oh well. You either accept yourself or go nuts. Although I think writing potterfics constitutes nuts. Just read it! And **don't forget to use that helpful little box at the bottom to review**… I'm not sure whether I want to keep working on this or not. But initially updates should come pretty quick. So if you like it keep checking in! And Reviewing! I'm shutting up now.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 1: The Appearance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"…and then the twitchy little ferret had the nerve to say to me-" Hermione stopped in the middle of her latest rant about Malfoy, a look of shock on her face as the Great Hall fell silent.

Ron and Harry, confused, turned around to see what she and everybody else was looking at.

Standing in the middle of the hall was the most beat up and bedraggled girl Harry had ever seen. She was also the most beautiful. She wobbled a moment, looking at the high table with dazed eyes, and if you were close enough you might have heard the faint "Help…" that escaped her lips before she fainted dead away.

Professor Snape was the first to come out of his shock. "Sylvia?!" He cried, much to everyone's confusion, and rushed to her. Dumbledore was close on his heels. 

"This is-?" He asked the Snape in hushed tones.

Snape, who much to everyone's shock actually looked very concerned and even a bit frightened, nodded, not taking his eyes off the girl.

Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall, who was hovering at his shoulder, and told her to go to Madame Pomfrey and tell her they had a girl who looked beaten up and had fainted. She nodded and hurried off.

Snape, adding another shock to the poor students' already beaten systems, picked up the girl and followed at a slower pace talking to Dumbledore in hushed tones so none of the students heard. 

Mere seconds after they had cleared the door the hall erupted into excited conference.

"Who's the girl?" 

"Who'd have though Snape was that strong?"

"Better yet, who'd have thought Snape had those emotions?

"How's Snape know her?"

"How'd she get here? She's too young to apparate!"

"What do you think happened to her?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other silently, then as one got up. The invisibility cloak would come in handy, yet again.

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All right, what do ya think?? Huh?? Review!!! I don't care if you say it's a piece of tripe! Just review! 


	2. Spying

Disclaimer: You anal little twits __

Disclaimer: You anal little twits!! If you think I'm doing a disclaimer for every chapter you're insane!! The one on the first chapter counts for them all. So there :P

Author Crud: Okay, I got a few good reviews already and with all these little ideas swimming about in my head that's enough for me. Go on! Read and Review! Or the awesome and much feared Queen of the Duinderlions will have you beaten with sporks!!

Oh come on, you know what a spork is. It's that little not spoon not fork thing they give you at Taco Bell when you get that goopy cheese thing… Never mind.

PS-- Oh yeah, just some basic facts: early fifth year at Hogwarts. A bit more than, say, a third of the wizarding community acknowledges Voldemort has risen (not including his followers) but the Ministry still insists he hasn't. Foolish gits.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2: Spying ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"You're sure she'll be all right?" Professor Snape asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Severus! If you don't stop hovering at my shoulder I'm going to give you a _dragon sedative_!"

Harry's eyes widened beneath the cloak; Madam Pomfrey irritated enough to threaten one of the teachers? Snape must have truly been upset to have irked her that badly.

Snape snarled something at her that the three couldn't hear from where they were in the doorway. But Snape did go to the other side of the bed that the girl was laying on and sat down. 

Hermione muttered, "Even when he's all twitchy with worry he's a sour thing."

Snape looked around with narrowed eyes as if he thought he'd heard her, but when the girl on the bed moaned and moved a bit his attention immediately went back to her. The difference in expression was extraordinary. Harry could hardly believe this was the same person who had taught them potions for all these years.

Snape stood and laid a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. Gentle? Something was definitely up. Snape was not gentle.

Ron started to say something, very quietly, but just then Dumbledore came in from a different part of the room, and closed the door, ending their spying session.

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All right children, you know what to do now; REVIEW!!!!!!


	3. Sylvia

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Disclaimer: Don't even think about it.

Author stuff: Yea. Part 3. Rejoice from heaven. (I just realized that the dry, sarcastic tone of voice with which I write this does not carry in print; oops.) Reviews always welcome. Even bad ones.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3: Sylvia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Severus hadn't seen the poor girl so beaten up in years; not since before his sister divorced the great git she had married and followed to the US, then allowed to impregnate her. She had finally gotten rid of him when the man had hurt their daughter, Sylvia, so badly that she was in the hospital for a week. Severus had threatened to try and get custody of his niece if she didn't make him go.

But surely the git couldn't have gotten hold of Sylvia again…?

And Sylvia ought to have been at her own school anyway! Although Severus didn't think much of the wizarding schools in America, Dempenworth was quite exceptional. And he knew they kept good track of their students.

When she moaned and turned on her side he stood without thinking and went to her, ignoring the glare of Madam Pomfrey. Sylvia and her mother, Semele, (Severus had always thought their family deranged for their obsession with the first name starting with "S"; he only had one relative of the name Snape whose first name was not an "S" name, and that was his cousin Ralph) were two of the few people he actually liked, and he adored Sylvia as if she were his own daughter. He would comfort her if he pleased.

"Sylvia?" he asked quietly.

"Uncle Severus?" She opened her eyes tentatively, as if she thought she were imagining things.

"Hello, sweet. You're okay now." He knelt so she wouldn't have to look up.

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow. Was Severus Snape, nastiest gnat in the land (as she privately thought of him) using a term of endearment?

Suddenly she sat up looking around wildly, her dark hair flying in all directions. "My coat! Where's my coat?"

Sylvia had shown up dressed like a muggle teenager, or what they supposed an American muggle teenager dressed like. She had on stiff knee high black leather boots; a frayed low slung skirt that ended above her knees; a cropped dark red tank top; and a long black leather jacket that ended just before the boots began. The skirt and top looked like they had seen better days; both were almost as beat up looking as Sylvia. Madam Pomfrey had taken the coat off and lain it on a chair when the girl was brought in.

Severus handed it to her, saying, "Calm down, it's right here."

She sighed in relief, clutching it to herself. Then she laid it open across her legs and started rumaging through the many, _many_ interior pockets. Then, much to the shock of everyone, she pulled out a small, glossy black cat with startlingly green eyes. Dumbledore wondered who had done the spells on the pockets of the coat so that they could accommodate actual living creatures, then noticed the fact that Severus seemed to be pretending he was a plant. 

"Oh Kali baby are you okay? I'm so sorry I left you in there so long…" She was now talking to her cat, who seemed quite happy, as she was purring cuddled up in the girls hands.

Severus looked questioningly at Dumbledore, wondering if he should question her or let the headmaster. Dumbledore looked from the girl to him, then nodded. Severus took that as the signal to ask his niece what exactly was going on.

"Sylvia?"

"Yes, Uncle Severus?" She looked up at him. Madam Pomfrey had trouble concealing her reaction, it was so strange to hear him called that.

"Don't think I'm not happy to see you, because I am, but… _what_ are you doing here?" 

Tears started to fill the girls eyes, and Severus felt like someone was trying to pull his heart out with Weasleys old wand.

"Oh, oh it was awful—I was kidnapped and-and…. And Mom….it was dark and all I—I could think about was her and they kept…and oh, Mom…." She was sobbing hysterically between the words, barely making any sense. Severus felt rage starting to build in him at anyone who would dare harm his niece, then felt the floor drop out from under him when he heard her mention his sister.

She was almost desperately clutching at his arm. He held her face between his hands trying to still her, and asked in a quiet and impressively calm voice, "Sylvia, Sylvia what about your mother? What about Semele?"

For one moment she looked at her uncle Severus, tears glittering on the bruises on her cheeks and in the deep hollows under her eyes, and said in a voice that only trembled slightly, "She's dead. Mom is dead." 

Severus' legs gave out on him, and he caught himself on the edge of her bed. She was weeping into his shoulder then, and he mechanically put his arms around her. His eyes were wide and haunted, and he didn't notice when Madam Pomfrey used a spell that would put them both to sleep. He merely welcomed the induced haze, where he didn't have to think about how much poor Sylvia must be hurting, how much he was hurting, and how he would never see his beloved sister again.

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Okay, okay. I realize I'm not good at the goopy tragic emotional stuff. But you get my drift. And yes, I know Snape doesn't generally act like this. That's the point! His sister and niece are the only people in the world near and dear to him, so of course he's going to treat them differently and act differently around them than other people. Get my logic? Of course, his sister is now a "was" near and dear to him. She's dead. As we found out. Oh just review it!!!

PS: I do realize that, as Hermione always says, you can't Apparate in Hogwarts. There is a rational explanation to… everything. Just wait! All will be revealed, eventually.

Double PS: Sylvia's last name is Snape, and so is her mothers because after she divorced Sylvias father she took her maiden name again, and so did Sylvia. I'm not sure if I'm going to mention that in the story itself, though I might, so just for safety's sake I thought I'd mention here. Right then. I'm shutting up now; ch 4 should be up shortly. Review now please.


	4. The blind one-legged Belgian prostitute!...

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Disclaimer: We've been through this. Last time I'm doing this.

Authorish: I did post this earlier, but I noticed an error or two so I had to fix those… now read and review!

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 4: The blind one-legged Belgian prostitute~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone around the outside of the building after being shut out of the room, to spy through a window. They'd arrived just in time to see Snape collapse and the girl throw her arms around him, crying hysterically. A few lonely tears had trickled down Snape's pale face, and he hadn't seemed to see anything when Madam Pomfrey had given the both of them something to make them sleep.

The three turned away from the window, leaning against the wall next to it. Hermione was the first to speak. 

"Was Snape _crying_?"

Ron said tonelessly, "Uh-huh."

*-*-*

The three were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, mulling over the last hours events when the first rush of people started to return from dinner. Everyone was abuzz with speculations about who the girl was, and especially how she mgiht know Snape. Wild rumors about some sort of affair in Paris were already circulating, though few could figure who might have an affair with _Snape_. 

Hermione was wondering what could make Snape cry, and look so… grieved. She had finally decided the Potions master had no real human emotions. But now… well, it wasn't comforting to have something so out of place in her world of clear cut facts as a crying Snape.

Ron was thinking about what to do with his last days; if Snape was upset like that the end of the world _couldn't_ be far behind.

"So, Harry, what do you think?" Lee Jordan asked from nearby, making Ron and Hermione jump. They had been oblivious to the presence of the other Gryffindor's. 

Harry blinked. "I have no idea."

"I tell you she's his bastard child by a blind one-legged Belgian prostitute!"

Slowly, everyone turned to face the Weasley twins. They sat down, Fred grumbling, "It could happen…"

A moment later, much to everyone's surprise, Professor McGonagall came in. Were they going to be told what was going on?

She looked about the room, making sure everyone got a taste of her stern look. She then said, "I suppose the lot of you have been coming up with wild cock and bull stories?"

George spoke up, "Of course not, Professor." He said it impressively innocently, too.

McGonagall snorted. "I know you, Mr. Weasley. You two are probably coming up with the best ones!

"Well, I want you all to know," she was stern once again, "_no more._ There are to be no more… speculations, about who the girl is. If it is seen fit I'm sure the Headmaster will inform you all."

She headed back for the portrait hole, popping her head back in before she closed. "Incidentally, Potions is canceled for the rest of the week."

The room was silent for a moment after she left. Snape couldn't torture- err, teach?! What was going on?! The silence was broken by a "Woo Hoo!" from one of the Weasley's, and that seemed to signal everyone to start up even taller tales.

Harry suddenly left the room, leaving the other two staring after him. He came back a moment later, a piece of parchment clutched in his hands. He looked like he was in a more than mild state of shock. Wordlessly, he beckoned them over to a quiet corner of the room--or, at least as close to a corner as a round room could have.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"You look like you've seen you-know-who!"

Harry pointed at a spot on the parchment, which they could now see was the Marauders Map. He pointed at a spot in the hospital wing, where they had just come from.

One of the dots was marked "Sylvia Snape".

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Okay, I realize that it loses most of the dramatic effect because I told you_ who she is in the last chapter, but oh well. NOW REVIEW!! Also, I realize that I'm just layering shock after shock onto the characters, and it must be getting dull for the reader. I'm going to stop that pretty soon. And the story _will_ get lighter! Though plenty of dramatic stuff too… and just you wait to see all the little romance angst there will be… mwuhahahaha!!_


	5. dear Lucius

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Disclaimed

Authors Senseless Babble: _This is about a week after Sylvia appeared. So much for lighter feelings, by the way. And I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated! I am at the mercy of the characters, you know. They take me where they will. NO! GO AWAY, REY! YOU CANNOT GO TO GUATEMALA! Okay, well, most of the time._

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 5: Dear Lucius ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Draco Malfoy sneered as he took the letter his owl had just dropped next to him. It was from his father. Again.

You would think the man had nothing better to do than try to run Draco's life! Nearly every week _another_ one came…. All casually belittling him for his failure to get Potter expelled… his inability to beat a stupid mudblood academically…… his obvious lack of skill on the Quidditch field if he was losing to Potter….the fact that he couldn't keep his mouth shut--Lucius had not been happy that he'd had to retrieve Draco from the train, and take the curses off, _himself_, at the end of the last year. Having to remove tentacles from his heir had made dear Lucius distinctly cranky. And more than a week into the term Draco was still paying for it!! Argh! Never mind the fact that he was second only to the mudblood in their year, never mind that Potter was the best Seeker anyone had seen in a century, never mind anything he ever _did_ get right! 

Draco swallowed his rage at his… Lucius, and instead channeled the energy into something useful: thinking of new insults for Potter and His Sidekicks.

A moment later though, his thoughts were diverted by who happened to be walking into the Great Hall for breakfast at that moment. 

No one had seen Professor Snape, or that girl, for the past week, since she had suddenly Apparated--or something-- that day. The professor was looking even more sallow than usual. 

Draco looked at the girl. What was it Snape had called her? Sylvia! She was now sitting beside Snape at the teacher's table… he wondered why Snape seemed to sit so close to her, almost… protectively? 

Throughout the meal he, like the others (especially the male others), watched her curiously. Sometimes more like speculatively.

She really was beautiful. She had long, glossy black hair. It was darker than a raven's wing (_great, I've turned into a clichéed poet_, he thought to himself_)_, as true black as Snape's--though not greasy, thankfully. But she had the oddest, most brilliant red streaks in it, a color so vivid it was obviously not natural, and not meant to look so. Her skin was the color of polished ivory, or alabaster, and it glowed against the unreleaved black of her robes she now wore. _(Snap out of it, Draco!)_ Her face oval face was a bit long, but in an elegant way, _(I give up)_ and her high cheekbones were defined, and without that lurid pink blush so many girls seemed so fond of. She wasn't even marred by the remains of the livid bruises she'd arrived with; Madam Pomfrey had undoubtedly healed them.

She seemed oblivious to the stares of the Hogwarts students though, instead staring into the sausages on her plate, pinking at them. Draco couldn't help but wonder why she looked so sad. 

Surprisingly she looked up, meeting his gaze for a moment, as if his intense gray stare had penetrated her wall of sorrow. He now saw that her eyes were a dark, smoldering shade of brown _(what an inadequate word--damn!)_. Before he had thought her beautiful; now he knew he'd been wrong. With the intensity of her spirit shining through, she was stunning.

He took an involuntary breath. He didn't know what he'd have don if Dumbledore hadn't stood at that moment, drawing a curtain of silence with him.

Like the others Draco's eyes were drawn to the man standing in front of them. Dumbledore looked serious, a stones throw from grave.

"I realize that you all must have been wondering who this girl is," he gestured to her, "and why she's here." He looked around sternly. "I am not going to tell you why she's here. Beyond the fact that her name is Sylvia, she will be attending Hogwarts from this day forth, and that she is Snape's niece you will have to wait for her to tell you herself if she wishes you to know." There were several gasps, and all around stunned faces--not, Draco noticed, from the invincible trio. Draco was drawn back to his own thoughts though, and the sudden urge to scrub at his mouth… he had thought about, about a relative of Snape's…. _that_ way…argh! And worse yet, now that he looked, he could see they even looked alike in some ways… the black hair, the dark eyes, the long faces… even the skin, even if she wasn't wan looking like him but just white. She was lucky that the nose didn't seem to be hereditary! 

Whispers were flying about, but they quieted when McGonagall set the stool and decrepit Sorting Hat in the usual place, when Dumbledore nodded to her.

Looking resigned, Sylvia stood and headed for the chair.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

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By the way, thanks for the great reviews! And you know, **cough**, I wouldn't mind more. You know. Next chapter will finally be from Sylvia's point of view! Now I just need to decide which house to put her in… hehe, so many possibilities that accompany each! Which one do you think she belongs in? (Neice of Snape and cunning yes, surely Slytherin! Great deeds lie within her and a brave heart, maybe Gryffindor? But loyal to her true friends for all her days--but no, Hufflepuff would kill her beloved uncle. And in that head is a sharp intelligence, a keen eye, so could it be Ravenclaw? )

And as you know, I do have romance coming. Who will be the boy? Or rather…**insert evil little chuckle**…the boys! **Thunder peals as the Dunderlion Queen fades into the night, cackling madly**


	6. Torture and Death by Snape

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Disclaimed

Authors Amusement: _Oh My God. You wouldn't believe what I found in the recesses of my movie collection… First I want to add, I have a very extensive video collection, and I've never thrown any away. I mean, I have _Tiny Toons: How I Spent My Summer Vacation _next to_ There's Something About Mary_ next to _Blade_. So I was rooting around in the bookshelves I've reserved for really old ones, from when I was little, (I was thinking I'd misplaced _Dracula_ there) and what did I find? I found: _Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World_! Yikes. And yes, like the doll Barbie. So, being curious what the hell it is, I popped it into the VCR. And let me tell you, I AM CRACKING UP!!!! Dear God, this is the funniest thing I've seen in my life! The whole point is that Barbie and the Rockers (Barbie's band… LoL) have done it all, and are the most successful band in world history **giggles** and are now doing there next concert for world peace (Barbie is the first ambassador for world peace, by the way)… in space. It is so weird to see a frighteningly curly-haired Barbie dancing around going "Everybody rock Everybody Rock… who's got it? We've got it!" in this space station shaped like a flower (I'm serious, the petals bloom and everything!!). So, anyway, I just thought I'd tell you that. Now I'll write my chapter. I'll try._

*~~~~~~~Chapter 6: Horrendous Torture and Slow Death~~~~~~~~*

Sylvia walked towards the Sorting Hat, not really seeing it. She was one of the few people who had approached it with her mind on something else.

She was thinking about the events prior to her arrival. About her mother's hurried instructions, about the feeling of her soul being ripped out as she fled to the sound of her mother's screams.

She sat down on the stool, and put the hat on, barely aware of stares of so many people.

She didn't even jump when the hat started talking to her.

"Another Snape! It's been years since we've had one of you…"

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What of it? She thought at the hat.

The hat was quiet for a moment. "A lot of pain in your life lately, I see…"

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Are you going to choose a House for me or what? 

"No need to get snippy!" the hat chided in a tone that reminded her of her mother. 

With that thought she dropped her eyes, allowing long eyelashes to veil them, even though no one was close enough to see the pain in their dark depths. _I'm sorry._

"That's all right. But you are right, time to get down to business! Now…" Sylvia felt like someone was riffling through her brain; which in fact, someone was. "I see, in the tradition of Snapes, a great deal of cunning here… oh dear, did you really have to confuse that poor man that badly? And intelligence to boot… And courage! My my my… I haven't had someone so hard to sort since Potter or that Neville boy_…. ((a/n: I don't have a copy of any of the books, so I'm not sure if it said how long it took to sort Neville. For my purposes, let's just say that it was awhile))_ But I think that you wouldn't be happy in Slytherin. You have to be able to take care of yourself there and you are quite vulnerable right now…"

Sylvia looked up at the hat sharply. _I am not._

"And stubborn too! Well I think I know where you will be best at home, you should go for GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled the last part to the entire Hall. There was a small smattering of applause from the Gryffindor table, quickly over. She stood and went over. 

The only seats open were at the end, one next to a row of three red-headed boys and the other next to another girl and boy, the boy with dark hair and glasses, the girl with simple brown and bushy hair, whom Sylvia noticed was actually quite pretty. She always noticed things like that, always saw the potential in someone. Her mother had called it a gift. The girl was one of the few people who had applauded when the hat had shouted 'Gryffindor.'

Sylvia sat next to the redhead, not sure what to do, and looked down at her plate. A moment later everyone in the Hall started talking again, all at once it seemed.

The boy next to her glanced at her nervously, then at the girl and boy across from him, then back to her. She, determinedly, didn't look at anyone.

He cleared his throat, and said "Um… hello. So… um… you're Snape's niece."

The girl across from him gave the boy a withering look, and turned to Sylvia herself. "Hello. I'm Hermione, this is Harry, and _he's_ Ron." She and Sylvia shook hands, and Sylvia smiled reluctantly. She liked Hermione's brisk manner.

The boy--Harry-- spoke up. "So what year are you in?"

"Fifth." Sylvia said, speaking aloud for the first time since she'd come into the Great Hall.

Harry blinked, and she noticed his green eyes. Her eyes flitted to his forehead, but she couldn't tell if there was a scar there, due to his messy hair. She decided this must be Harry Potter--her uncle had talked about him when he'd visited over the summer. He asked, "Are you from America?"

"Yes."

"Then why aren't you in a Yank school?" Ron asked her.

She looked back down to her plate, and said quietly, but in a steady voice, "I was."

"So why are you going here now?"

Sylvia's lips tightened, and she didn't look up. Judging from the _thump_ she heard from under the table and the way he jumped, Hermione had kicked him.

Hermione said in a rigid voice, "Maybe it's none of our business, _Ron_."

They were all quiet for awhile, which gave Sylvia time to rein in her emotions. _I'm fine. I can deal with this. Of course they're curious. It's only natural. You don't have to answer them. GET OVER IT!_ She repeated this to herself until she no longer had to bite her lip to keep the tears back.

Near the end of the meal, when most people were starting to get up, Harry said to her, "We're in fifth too. We'll show you the way to the classes, if you like."

Sylvia looked at him gratefully and just nodded.

The three of them led her away from the hall and through several corridors and up staircases, Hermione telling her on the way, "We're going to our dormitory to get some of our books. The Gryffindor tower is where our common room is and our bedrooms. Only Gryffindors know the password, so never tell someone who isn't one."

Sylvia looked at her curiously, "But who do you tell the password to get in?"

Hermione pointed to a portrait of a fat woman in a pink dress, at the end of the hallway. "Her. She's the Fat Lady, and she'll let us in." Hermione looked like she would have said more, but at that moment they neared the portrait and a slightly chubby boy, who had been speaking to the portrait, spoke to them.

"Harry! Thank goodness; I've forgotten the password again!"

The three boys talked for a moment, and Hermione whispered to her, "That's Neville. He's nice, but _very_ forgetful, and Professor Sn--erm, some of the professors get quite exasperated with him." Sylvia looked at the girl curiously, wondering what she'd been about to say, but her attention was drawn away by the portraits sudden attention to her.

"Dears, who's this girl? I don't remember her!"

Ron answered her. "She's a new Gryffindor. She just got sorted in this morning she's--um," he glanced at her, "a sort of transfer student."

The Fat Lady eyed her curiously, but said to all of them, "Well, you'd best all hurry up, or else you'll be late! Password please?"

"Faery wings."

"Remember the password, otherwise someone else will have to let you in," Ron told her once the portrait had swung shut, with a glance at Neville's back as he hurried up the stairs.

"That was the common room, and here's fifth year girl's room." Hermione was giving her a commentary as they went along, and she opened a door to a simple but very nice room, furnished mainly in gold with red trimming, and shimmery gold curtains around all the beds. "You're trunk should get here--oh, now," she said as a trunk appeared at the foot of a bed at the end of the room. Sylvia and her uncle had taken a trip to Sylvia's old house in the States over the weekend, to set everything in order and get her things. It had been eerie, the way nothing but everything was different at her ho- at the house. Just a house.

"Um, do you have any books?" Hermione asked her, pulling her out of her reverie.

"Yes; Uncle Severus-"_Why does everyone get that weird look when I say that???_"-took me out to buy books over the weekend. Um… I don't know the schedule; which ones do we need today?"

Hermione smiled. "Today we have… let me see…" she pulled a schedule out of her bag and made a face. "Double Potions with Snape, then Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. You'll like him. But -ugh- an entire morning with the _Slytherins_! Then lunch, and then Charms with Flitwick. Then any electives you have. Only bother with your things for Potions and Care of Magical Creatures, you can get the rest after lunch." _((A/N: Okay, I have no clue how many periods/hours they have. If someone knows, please tell me! I'm just making this schedule up off the top of my head.))_

"Okay."

They met the boys back in the common room, and the three showed her the way to the dungeons and potions.

"Why is Uncle Severus in a room this _cold_?" Sylvia asked as they walked in, rhetorically. She and Hermione sat down with each other, Harry and Ron behind them. Most everyone was already there, although not her uncle, and the room fell quiet when she entered. Everyone who had been able to hear her had that same baffled look that Hermione and Madam Pomfrey had had on their faces. Sylvia looked around at the people who were staring at her, and asked in a caustic tone, "Can I _help_ you?" 

Everyone was suddenly busy with some parchment or another--except that blond boy from breakfast. He continued to look at her, then when she didn't look away he simply raised one superior eyebrow, (_How can an eyebrow be superior?_) smiled a little, and finally turned to say something to a rather large boy next to him.

She returned to the other three to see them looking at her too. Harry said, in a dark tone, "I see you've met Malfoy."

She felt herself jump in surprise. Malfoy? But that was--_No. Don't think about it! _She wrenched herself away from that line of thought and replied in a bored voice, "Is that his name? No, we haven't really _met_. I just noticed him staring at me at breakfast, too."

Ron snorted. "It's no wonder. You know, you're so--" he turned a bright crimson, making his hair seem horridly orange, and was suddenly very busy with some parchment of his own. Harry was looking at him in an amused sort of way, and Hermione had raised one eyebrow and was looking at him in a slightly disgusted manner. It seemed that they all knew what he'd been about to say except her. He was rescued from her asking by her uncle's entrance.

She noted with concern that he still looked very haggard. She was worried about him, but she didn't have time to dwell on the thoughts as he started class.

*~Snape's POV~*

He looked around gloomily, but brightened when he saw his niece. She didn't notice the way the class shifted at that, but he did. He looked around with warning in his eyes, and said, "Obviously we have a new student. I expect all of you to treat her no differently than any other student. Completely ignore the fact that she is my niece, and that I will see to the horrendous torture and painfully slow death of anyone that hurts her." He muttered the last part so only the people in the front row heard, but he knew they would spread the word. _((A/N: Mwuhahahaha))_

He smiled and turned to the board to start class.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

**__**

That annoying author again: OMIGOD!!! I found something better than that Barbie thing… The live-action He-Man movie!!! Hahahaha…I'm serious! It's there! It's called Masters of the Universe_! I'm just finding all these scary eighties movies today… HOLY CRIMETY! LOOK AT THAT GUY'S NIPPLES! Um… excuse me, I don't normally say things like that, but I don't think they're supposed to look like that. Erm. **dives under a rock to hide** **peeks out** HOW DOES THAT WOMAN WALK IN THAT OUTFIT WITH ALL THOSE STRAPS ON HER BUTT?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!??!!!!!!!??_


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